As an American visiting Ireland for the first time, it can sometimes seem as if we're speaking different languages - except for when you try to explain Irish to me and this is literally the case. There are many different words and phrases that I am unfamiliar with or which possess a different meaning than they do in the States.
1) What's The Craic?
When I was asked this the first time I had no idea how to respond. Crack in America is not something you bring up in daily conversation so I just smiled. Little did I know this was just a normal greeting used by the Irish; equivalent to a “Hey how are you?" Or “What have you been up to” as I would say when meeting up with someone. Once I got past the initial shock of the constant use of 'craic' I have been trying to use it among my friends on this trip.
2) The Chemist
A typical drug store in the States is like a mini grocery store. There is some food, supplies, medicines etc. My roommate and I were looking for some sleep aid to help the jet lag when we arrived. The look on the woman's face when we asked for a drug store was priceless. I think we just caught her off guard because she soon came back saying “Oh you mean you need the Chemist”. Now I and my roommate were confused. A chemist is a person who is scientifically knowledgeable, why are they calling a pharmacy a chemist? Still doesn't make much sense to me.
3) Grand/Brilliant
This one isn’t bizarre or strange but it is a word that I have heard so much here. So, I thought I would touch on it. Everything here is grand. I even catch myself saying it quite a bit lately. Usually when something is ‘good’ we say “that's awesome” or “how cool.” It sounds pretty average unless you put some exclamation points afterwards. Grand just seems so elegant and the Irish are always using it, along with the word brilliant. I really like it! Makes me sound fancy!
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4) The Fear
Another one I thought was funny was the phrase “The Fear.” After a very fun night out and you wake up in the morning not feeling the best, it’s usually described as being hungover. Here, apparently, people say you've "The Fear” because you are fearful of what happened the night before. This is one of my favourites and I am definitely going to teach my friends this one when I get back.
5) Gas
This one is still hard for me to get used to. If something is funny, or a joke it is described as being 'gas' To me, it still sounds weird and I haven't been able to catch on as quickly. Really one of the only times I am using the word gas is when I need to go fuel up my car, and to me, that's not fun at all. It also is more of a science term. When something is not a solid or a liquid it's a gas. Maybe as I continue to hear others use it in conversation, I will become more familiar with it.
6) Bold
This is an example of a word used in both the states and in Ireland but the connotations are completely different. When someone in the states is being bold, they are seen as being very confident and courageous. Not in Ireland. I overheard a woman who is head of our program describing her child as being bold and didn't seem very happy. I soon came to know that bold is referring to someone being naughty and not following the rules. This one I can understand quite easily.
I know there are still so many words I will come to hear. But it has been grand being able to become familiar with some of the different vocabulary used here in Ireland. Hopefully, before I leave I will be able to use a few without sounding like a complete to tourist. I am excited to use some of these back in the States and see how my friends and family respond.
